From Colbert to Simpson

Check out this video on Comedy Central's Motherload site. It's of Andrew Keen's recent appearance on The Colbert Report, talking about his summer bestseller The Cult of the Amateur. I point it out because we've just booked Keen to be our McBride Lecturer at Simpson on Nov. 6. We're doing our best to bring some of the top speakers in the country and the world to mix with our students and community.

Happy Birthday to Me??

Well, this just about took the cake today -- literally. I walk into my 1 o'clock Liberal Arts Seminar class with 20 freshmen whom I just started working with a week ago. And the students had this banner up in the classroom. And there also were cupcakes for all.

When you get to be my age, you don't get that excited about birthday anymore -- in fact, you really wish they wouldn't come. But this is one of the things that I'm talking about when I say we have a pretty special community of learners at Simpson. Thanks guys!

Hello From McNeill Hall!

Here goes another blog -- this time on life as a faculty member at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

I'm Brian Steffen, a professor of communication studies and chair of the department at Simpson. I also write another blog, Media Musings, on issues and happenings in the world of the media. As my students know, I get a bit passionate about what I teach and try to infect my students with that same passion. And, a lot of times, it happens.

We're just starting a new academic year here at Simpson, and I'll be documenting it from my spot in McNeill Hall. Stop by as often as you like, and be sure to chime in with your two cents' worth.